Old Foxes Want No Families
by NebulaBelt
Summary: A routine Caring Mission turns up something not so routine, a new Care Bear Cousin! Only this one wants nothing to do with the Care Bear Family. Can the Care Bear Family bring him around? What's holding him back?
1. Chapter 1

Sorry it's been so long since I posted something. I've been stumbling through harddrive crashes, flights, jobs, and writers block. I'm taking a break from "Beyond Friendship" to post this story. Hopefully they'll both be finished soon. In the meantime, enjoy!

I do not own the Care Bears. Only my characters and scenarios are mine. Thank you.

PROLOGUE

Another dream. _No, not a dream_. He corrected himself. _It was real._

He rubbed his eyes, trying to banish the images from his mind: Someone in pain, someone suffering. He didn't know what had been going on, but he did know why he was seeing it. The price for his freedom from his tormentor was to watch him work his evil on another. It hardly seemed fair, though he had learned long ago that life was unfair. If his old tormentor captured him, then he would be the one suffering.

He grunted. He had been hunted for years and had managed to remain hidden. He wasn't about to let himself be caught now. But to the poor lamb whose sufferings he had just witnessed, that probably came as small comfort.

Gentle Heart smiled. "This was a great idea, Bright Heart." The raccoon in questions smiled back.

"Thank you. I think it was one of my best." Gentle Heart had to agree. Even with all his inventions and gadgets, few compared with his latest idea: A picnic on Earth under the beautiful summer sky. All they had with them was a blanket, lunch, the clouds overhead, the grass beneath them, and each other…

"Bright Heart? Gentle Heart? Are you there?"

…And the cloud mobile's radio.

"_I knew I should have turned that thing off."_ Bright Heart thought with irritation. He sighed and walked over to the cloud mobile and turned on the mike, Gentle Heart right behind him.

"Hello, Bright Heart here."

"Bright Heart? It's Tenderheart. I know you and Gentle Heart had plans, but I'm afraid we need you for an immediate Caring Mission."

"I guessed as much when the radio went off." He said, not entirely able to hide his disappointment at having his time with Gentle Heart cut short. Gentle Heart laid a paw on his shoulder comfortingly.

"I'm really sorry about this. But if she wants, Gentle Heart could go with you. I'm sure she'd be a big help."

"Isn't she always?" Bright Heart asked rhetorically as Gentle Heart hugged him. "What's the mission?"

"Well," Tenderheart started, checking the notes in front of him. "It seems there's a monster in someone's attic."

CHAPTER ONE

"We're telling you, there's a monster up there!" The elder of the two boys, Jeffrey, insisted. His younger brother, Mathew, nodded in agreement. The two of them had just moved into this house with their parents. But they kept hearing noises at night coming from the attic. Their parents never heard them and dismissed them as the products of a pair of overactive imaginations. They didn't bother looking into the attic themselves, they were still too busy unpacking and getting settled in their new home. The house had been abandoned and empty for years, so it took a lot of work. Too much to waste any time on figment's of their children's imaginations.

But Jeffrey and Mathew were sure about what they heard and were having trouble sleeping on account of it. They were growing so dejected that no one listened to them that the Care Bears felt it necessary to step in.

"But there are no such things as ghosts or monsters." Bright Heart said calmly for the third time. "Old houses like this are full of odd noises: creaking floorboards, squeaky doors, and so on. That's what you've been hearing, that's all."

"Creaky floors don't pace." Jeffrey said stubbornly, crossing his arms. "They don't walk around in circle all night and mutter to themselves either."

"Maybe if we all take a look upstairs in the attic now, when it's light out, maybe we can see just what's making these noises." Gentle Heart suggested softly. Bright Heart beamed at her,

"That's a great idea!"

"No it isn't!" Matt said, panicked. Jeffrey agreed.

"You two can check it out if you want, but we're not going up there." Bright Heart nodded.

"If that's what you want. I'll go up first. It may be dark and I can see my way better than you can." He said to Gentle Heart as they headed up the stairs to the attic. Gentle Heart nodded.

"Be careful." She whispered to him. Bright Heart gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before he opened the door. Stepping inside he saw that it was, as he guessed, pitch black. He saw no light switched near the door, so he decided to venture in further to see what, if anything, was there.

Bright Heart rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing straight. He had expected the attic to be empty or full of old boxes. But that last thing he expected to find where piles upon piles of _books_. He'd seen libraries with smaller collections. Idly wondering whether or not there where any technical books in the piles, he almost banged his head on something dangling from a beam in the ceiling. He stepped back to getter a closer look at it.

"What's a dream catcher doing in an attic?" He wondered aloud. He hadn't expected to find that anymore than he had the books. Bright Heart was too busy trying to figure out this particular puzzle that he didn't notice Gentle Heart walking into the attic and approaching him from behind.

"Bright Heart?" The startled raccoon turned around so fast that his elbow jogged a particularly tall pile of books. The pile leaned, tottered, and fell, directly on top of the two cousins. Gentle Heart was the first to emerge from the veritable sea of books she found herself in. It was too dark for her eyes to see properly, but she still managed to make out some indistinct shapes. One in front of her in particular looked very familiar.

"Bright Heart?" She asked. It was certainly his silhouette: legs bent in haunches, pointed ears, bushy tail. No answer. "Bright Heart are you-"

"Did you say something?" She heard a voice from behind her. She turned around, it was Bright Heart, struggling free from the pile.

"But if you're there…" She started, turning quickly back to the shape she had seen in front of her. It was still there. "Then who…?" A bright light turned on. Gentle Heart threw her hands up in front of her face to guard her eyes from the glare. When the spots in front of her eyes had cleared, she saw a naked light bulb dangling from the ceiling. Beneath it was the last thing they expected to see.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Gentle Heart and Bright Heart rubbed their eyes to make sure they were seeing properly. Beneath the light was a red fox, but not the kind they were used to seeing. This one was, well, like _them_: bipedal, about the same height, a small red heart on his hip, heart-shaped nose, white belly fur, but no tummy symbol, opposable digits, and a face capable of conveying thoughts and emotions. What stood out the most though were his eyes: deep and powerful. Bright Heart thought immediately of the old saying that the eyes are the windows of the soul. It must have had this fox in mind. They were extremely expressive, but also probing. He was scrutinizing the two of them, trying to figure out who they were.

"Um, hello!" Bright Heart said, shaking himself out of his shock. "I'm Bright Heart Raccoon and this is Gentle Heart Lamb. We're Care Bear Cousins. What's your name?"

No answer. The fox cocked his head and continued to regard them with something less than a warm smile.

"Are you a Care Bear Cousin too?" Bright Heart asked. The same stony silence continued. "Erm, do you understand us? Can you speak?"

"Maybe he's just shy." Gentle Heart suggested to Bright Heart. He nodded.

"You may be right. Still I just wish there was some way of getting through to him that we're friends."

"Friends?" The fox asked, surprising them, both by speaking at all and by his voice. It was a sort of screeching rasp that was unmelodious, to say the least.

"Well, yes. We're friends." Bright Heart said, recovering swiftly. "Everyone has friends."

"I don't." The fox said tersely, biting off each word as if he was no more fond of his voice than they were. "These," he gestured with his paw to encompass the books scattered all about the attic, "are the only friends I've ever known."

"Well, we're here to change that then!" Bright Heart said, determined. "What's your name?" He asked again. The fox shrugged.

"I don't have one of those either."

"Why didn't you introduce yourself to the family that just moved in?" Gentle Heart asked.

"Why would I want to do that?" He asked in confusion.

"Well it must be lonely for you here." Gentle Heart said. "Up here all by yourself…"

"I'm used to it. When I found this house it was abandoned. That's why I choose it. Would have preferred that it _stayed_ that way." He added pointedly.

"Where did you get all these books?" Bright Heart asked, trying to draw him out.

"Old libraries, book sales, stores, schools, street corners, the garbage, any where and everywhere you could imagine. I rescued them from being destroyed and they give me a way to pass the time." Looking at the mountains of books in the attic, the fox chuckled to himself. "A lot of time, at that."

"How long have you been here?" Gentle Heart asked. The fox flicked his tail in what

looked like a shrug.

"Years certainly, perhaps decades. I'm not sure."

Bright Heart blinked at the sheer length of time. Gentle Heart just looked unhappily at their company.

"All that time alone…" She murmured sadly. If only they had been able to find him sooner…who knows how much time he had spent alone could have instead been spent as part of the Care Bear Family.

_Perhaps we could fix that_, she thought with a glimmer of hope. "Maybe, since there's a family moving in now, you might like to come live with us." The fox looked distinctly uncomfortable at the prospect and Gentle Heart was afraid she might have pushed too hard. "Of course you may want to stay here. This was you're home and all-"

"Home." The fox repeated mildly. "Home is where the heart is, is it not?"

"That's right." Bright Heart nodded.

"Then I've never had a home either. This was…a refuge. A sanctuary. Nothing more." There was hardly a note of sorrow in his raspy voice. He said it matter of factly, as if commenting on the weather.

"Then maybe Care-a-Lot or the Forest of Feelings could be you're home." Gentle Heart offered.

"I doubt that would be a good idea." The fox said hesitantly.

"Well I know one way to find out, if you're willing." Bright Heart offered. "We can always bring you back here if that's what you want."

"But you've been alone for so long, won't you give us a chance?" Gentle Heart pleaded. The fox looked at the earnest expressions on their faces. He blinked his eyes and sighed in resignation. He nodded.

"Great! Come with us, we'll head downstairs and then we can get going. But first I just have to clear up something with two little boys downstairs. I'll be right back." As Bright Heart headed downstairs, Gentle Heart lapsed into silence, unsure of what to say.

"…Nice dream catcher." She said at last. The fox inclined his head as if accepting praise. "Why do you have it though? Do you have nightmares?"

The fox didn't say a word. He let his eyes do the talking for him. They seemed to say with remarkable clarity: _Of the kind that could chill your soul_.

Gentle Heart lapsed back into silence at that. "I'm sure you'll like Care-a-Lot." She said encouragingly.

"Hmm." He replied neutrally. "If you say so."

Gentle Heart didn't get a chance to respond, for Bright Heart chose that moment to reappear. "Let's go. I tried convincing Jeffrey and Mathew, the two boys who live here," he explained to the fox, "to meet you but they're too scared. Sorry."

Again the fox let his eyes convey his thoughts. He was quite unconcerned that two little boys did not care to make his acquaintance. Clearly, the feeling was mutual. The three of them headed down the stairs and out the front door.

The fox stopped in front of, what was to him an impossible sight, a car made out of clouds? His confusion showed, for Bright Heart assured him that all was fine as he sat at the wheel.

"Don't worry, the cloud mobile won't disappear as your sitting in it."

"I think I'd rather walk." He said uncomfortably as he got in the car and fastened himself in the backseat.

"You can't walk to Care-a-Lot," Bright Heart said as he started the engine. The fox looked confused.

"What do you mean you can't—" His face paled as the cloud mobile took off. He grabbed the seat and hung on for fear of falling out.

"It's all right." Gentle Heart said. "It's perfectly safe."

"No such thing." The fox insisted, looking not at all well. "Flying is a province fit for madmen, nothing else but."

"You'll get used to it," Bright Heart promised him, missing the fox's frown at the implication that he might be staying. "Everyone else in our family loves it up here."

"What sort of family do you have?" The fox asked, trying to distract himself from the shrinking landscape below them. "More lambs and raccoons?"

"Oh, no we have all types in the Care Bear Family. Monkeys and penguins and rabbits…" Bright Heart began and Gentle Heart picked up where he stopped.

"Lions and tigers and bears…"

"Oh brother." The fox muttered as he rested his head in both paws. Gentle Heart giggled.

Bright Heart and Gentle Heart spent the rest of the trip up explaining just what the Care Bear Family did; helping people share their feelings and care about each other (much to the fox's incomprehension).

As the cloud mobile set down, the three occupants climbed out. The fox whirred in surprise to see the car dissipate behind him. At his aghast expression, Bright Heart told him that it was perfectly normal and never happened while they were in use.

"Bright Heart! Gentle Heart!" They looked up to see Tenderheart and Brave Heart walking up to them. "You're back and—you have a friend with you." Tenderheart said in surprise. "When I sent you out today I didn't expect you to be coming back with a new Care Bear in tow."

"Well he's—" Bright Heart started.

"Hiya! My name's Brave Heart Lion. Pleased to meet you!" He said, smiling widely and pumping the fox's paw.

"…Hmmm." The fox said uneasily, his lack of enthusiasm was completely lost on Brave Heart though.

"What's your name?" Tenderheart asked as the fox quickly disengaged his paw from Brave Heart's. Not answering Tenderheart directly, the fox turned to Bright Heart and Gentle Heart.

"Why is everyone I meet so obsessed with giving a bundle of vague sensory perceptions a name?" Not giving them a chance to answer he turned back to Tenderheart. "I have no name. If you _have_ to call me something, you might as well call me Noname."

"Oh…well, I'm sure we can take care of that when you get your tummy symbol."

"I've gotta tell the others!" Brave Heart exclaimed. "See you later Tenderheart!" He said as he dashed off.

"Later, Brave Heart!" Tenderheart called back. "Where was I, oh right! After you get your tummy symbol I'm sure we can help you with your name problem and—"

"That won't be necessary," The newly designated Noname interrupted a tad coldly. "As I'm not sure that I'm staying and that would make getting a 'tummy symbol' and a name unnecessary." Tenderheart looked completely floored.

"But, I thought—" He started weakly, turning to Bright Heart and Gentle Heart.

"We found him living in the attic of the home those little boys just moved into. He was the, ahem, 'monster in the attic' that they spoke of." Bright Heart explained.

"We thought that if we showed him around Care-a-Lot then maybe he would think about staying here. He's lived by himself all his life." Gentle Heart added.

"That's terrible!" Tenderheart exclaimed.

_Why does everyone keep thinking that?_ The fox wondered in silent exasperation.

"I think the best thing to do would be not to pressure him." Bright Heart went on. "We should let him make up his own mind." Tenderheart nodded.

"You're right. I'm sorry." He said to Noname, who just shrugged uncomfortably.

Tenderheart rubbed the back of his neck in chagrin. "Well, I hope you like it here. If there's anything you _do_ need, feel free to ask." Noname nodded again.

"Come on, we'll show you around." Bright Heart said as he and Gentle Heart led Noname away. As soon as they were out of Tenderheart's hearing Bright Heart added. "Tenderheart was only trying to help. I'm sure he didn't mean to press you—"

"No need. It's my fault anyway. I'm not used to being the center of such attention. I simply didn't care for it and overreacted."

"I can see why." Bright Heart agreed as they walked on. "But most of us here will understand and respect that." They continued on in silence for a while after that.

"Why do you bother?" Noname said at last, breaking the silence.

"What do you mean?" Gentle Heart asked.

"It's impossible to help everyone care. Attempting to have everyone share their feelings and get along…I think Sisyphus had an easier task."

"Sisyphus?"

"He's a character in Greek mythology." Bright Heart explained. "He had to push a boulder up a hill only to have it roll back to the bottom for all eternity. What he means is that he thinks our task is an endless, impossible one." Noname nodded at Bright Heart's understanding and explanation.

"But that's not true!" Gentle Heart protested. "We help a lot of people and they help other people and they go on to help others."

"People have emotions for a reason. Being sad, lonely, angry, morose, bitter, and so on is perfectly natural. Why interfere?"

"Because what's natural isn't necessarily the same as what's healthy." Noble Heart Horse broke in as he and True Heart approached them. As the fox turned to regard them, Noble Heart found himself surprised by the intensity of his eyes, as Bright Heart and Gentle Heart had been.

_So intense and soulful._ He thought with amazement. Looking into them said more about the fox's life than an hour of normal conversation. Suspicion warred with hope. _Is he actually afraid of us?_ Noble Heart wondered with disbelief.

True Heart was taken aback too, but recovered more quickly. "Hello there, Tenderheart told us we'd have a guest with us." True Heart said warmly as she smiled at the suddenly withdrawn fox. Not put off in the least, she continued. "I'm True Heart Bear and this is Noble Heart Horse."

Noname nodded. "Bright Heart and Gentle Heart told me about you. You are the…founders? Of the Care Bear Family?"

"I suppose we are at that." Noble Heart chuckled. "Tell me, do you happen to know when, and how, you came to be…like us?"

Noname's face froze and the atmosphere suddenly turned tense. "I've been this way all my life." He said tightly, turning his head away. "As for the how, I don't know." Gentle Heart caught his gaze for what could only have been a second. But somehow, she knew that he was lying.

"…I see. Well," True Heart said, trying to put the awkward moment behind them. "Have you given any thought about where you'll spend the night?" He shook his head.

"He could stay with me." Bright Heart offered. "If you want." He added to Noname.

"I think…I think I'd like that." He said at last with a weak smile on his face. Gentle Heart suspected that he didn't have much experience with smiling. Something she promised to help fix.

"Why don't we all go to the Hall of Hearts and have lunch? Get to know each other over a good meal?" Bright Heart suggested sensibly.

"That sounds like a great idea!" True Heart agreed. "If you'll follow us…" The fox did just that, falling into step behind his newfound entourage.

"Is there anything in particular you'd like?" Gentle Heart asked. It was kind of hard to miss the fact that the fox looked somewhat emaciated. _How long has it been since he had a good meal?_ She wondered silently as they approached the doors to the Hall of Hearts.

But he just shook his head as he pushed the doors open. "Not really. I just want a nice, quiet—"

"SURPRISE!" Came a massive shout from within. Bright Heart winced as he saw that virtually the entire Care Bear Family had turned out and decorated the Hall of Hearts. A large hanging banner proclaimed: WELCOME TO THE CARE BEAR FAMILY!

Noname went rigid with what Bright Heart guessed was barely repressed anger. _This isn't going to be pretty._ He thought apprehensively.

Brave Heart chose _that_ minute to walk up to Noname and clap him solidly on the shoulder. He staggered slightly and glowered balefully at Brave Heart, who again failed to notice the fox's mood.

"Welcome to the Family…uh, well we'll think of a name." Brave Heart said a smile still plastered on his face. Before anyone could get a word out, the fox found himself beset by over half a dozen Care Bears and Cousins all welcoming him to the family and congratulating him as others continued to crowd around and wish him well.

"I'm sure you'll make a great Care Bear—" Brave Heart was continuing.

"I am _NOT_ a Care Bear and don't want to be!" Noname finally exploded, bringing the activity in the Hall of Hearts to a complete halt. He spun on his heel and stormed out, not giving anyone so much as a glance. All the same, Bright Heart caught his eye for a split second and didn't care for what he saw. Anger, betrayal, fear, and shame all entwined in the deep pools of his eyes.

Before he or anyone else could say a word, the fox had darted outside and away from the assembled Care Bears. Bright Heart rounded on Brave Heart who blinked and asked haplessly "Was it something I said?"

CHAPTER THREE

Meanwhile, Noname had finally stopped running and stopped to regain his bearings. _Smooth_, he thought sullenly. _Real smooth. Honestly, can't you control yourself better than that by now?_

_But all that brightness, the smiles…those oh so smug smiles as if they knew what was best for me! The sheer arrogance, the cheek, the…the chutzpah!_ He exhaled. Staying was not an option. Not even before that disgraceful scene. _This place wasn't for me. I have no business being here. And if they ever found out…_

So lost in his own thoughts, Noname didn't hear himself being followed.

"Oh boy! A Care Bear Cousin!" Beastly cackled, running his grubby hands together. "No Heart will be _so_ proud!" Leaping out of the bushes, he grabbed the fox by the arm and attempted to drag him over to his craft, the bizarre offspring of a helicopter that was unfaithful with a bicycle. Noname, understandably, dug his heels in and refused to be moved.

Beastly grunted and pulled with all his might. "You're coming with me Care Bear! And since you don't have a tummy symbol you can't Stare me neither, so there!" He stuck out his tongue imperiously and blew a raspberry. Noname, irritated at once again being labeled a Care Bear without his say-so and again at this clumsy excuse of an abduction, did the first thing that popped into his head: he drew back his foot and kicked the miserable little creature in the shin. Hard.

"YEEOOOWWWCCHH!" Beastly yelped as he let go of the fox in order to grasp his injured shin, hopping on one foot as he did so. "You're a Care Bear! You're not supposed to hurt me! You're supposed to, I dunno, be full of love and caring or whatever!"

"I'm from the school of tough love." Noname said with an edge in his voice as he planted his paw down on Beastly's other foot, earning another yelp of pain. The moronic creature alternated between hopping on one foot and the other in a vain attempt to sooth both injuries. It wasn't long before he tried to grab both feet at once and ended up on his back.

_Idiot_. Was Noname's swift—if accurate—assessment. He turned around and resolved to apply this new method to anyone else who thought to call him something he wasn't. Beastly meanwhile eventually stopped rubbing his bruised legs and set off for his ship.

"Ooh just wait till I tell No Heart!"

To Be Concluded


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER FOUR

Bright Heart sighed. Today could hardly have gone any worse. Instead of a potential new family member, they now had an angry and upset guest who wanted to leave as soon as possible. Only an oncoming thunderstorm—and Noname's own balking at flying in a cloud car through such conditions—had forced him to spend the night here.

Refusing to spend the night in the Hall of Hearts, Noname had already agreed to Bright Heart's proposal to stay at his home. Bright Heart wasn't sorry for the company, but he just wished he could find the right thing that would convince him to _stay_.

"I'm sorry about what happened at the Hall of Hearts." Bright Heart said for what was, by Noname's count, the ninth time. Noname just flicked his tail in a way that said, in so many words (in no words actually), that it wasn't his fault. "They meant well, they just didn't know that you'd well…have the response you did."

Again, silence prevailed.

"…Could you at least tell me _why_ you don't want to stay?" Bright Heart asked, barely able to keep a pleading tone out of his voice. Noname's face took on a mournful quality that only increased with the bitter half-smile he gave the raccoon.

"Believe me, I just don't belong here. I'm too…different."

"That's a kind of vague—not to mention glib—answer." Bright Heart noted evenly. Noname put on what would be considered the perfect poker face, except for as usual, the eyes. "Is there something your not telling me?" He asked astutely.

"If there was, I couldn't tell you. Rest assured if there was something I was hiding, then my reason for hiding must be valid enough not for me to reveal it."

Bright Heart privately didn't think much of that logic but said nothing. Evidently the silence was, for once, too oppressive for Noname to leave unattended. "Believe me when I say that whatever it is that I am hiding precludes any possibility of me staying and there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it."

"But how do you know unless you tell—"

"I'm getting tired." Noname said, leaving Bright Heart's question only half-asked. "You mentioned having a spare cot?" The raccoon nodded, clearly seeing this conversation had reached a dead end. He retrieved the cot in question and dragged it back to his room. Noname climbed on it as soon as it was set, making it clear he would not consider taking Bright Heart's bed.

"Good-night." Noname wished him as he drew the covers up.

"Good-night." Bright Heart returned. "Pleasant dreams." Noname let out what sounded like a half-strangled snort of incredulity but said nothing more.

Even as the Care Bears were going to bed, other figures remained awake. One of them was even now hurrying up a long flight of stairs to speak to his master.

"No Heart! No Heart!" Beastly yelled as he ran up. No Heart felt a nerve twitch above his eye as his bumbling assistant approached.

"_BEASTLY_! I've no time for your ramblings now." He bellowed as he looked down into his cauldron.

"B-but Boss! I almost caught a Care Bear!" No Heart growled.

_If I had a spell for every time he said that I'd be more powerful than Merlin_.

Taking No Heart's cold shoulder as encouragement, Beastly continued on. "And this was a new one!"

_Terrific_, the dark wizard growled mentally. _As if there weren't enough of those meddling Care Bears already…_He was so upset that he almost didn't hear Beastly's next words.

"…I would've had that fox too if it wasn't for—" No Heart whirled on his hapless servant as he drew himself up to his full height and bellowed:

"Did you say _fox_!"

CHAPTER FIVE

The day started out awkwardly enough. Noname sat down between Bright Heart and Gentle Heart at breakfast, not saying a word to anyone. He wasn't a morning person to begin with, but there was clearly more to it. Most of the other Care Bears—wary of another explosion—kept their distance from him. A few intrepid souls, Tenderheart, Swift Heart, Noble Heart, True Heart, the cubs, and a couple of others tried their best to either engage him in conversation or convince him to stay. So far, no one had succeeded in getting so much as a word out of him.

Bright Heart and Gentle Heart shared a concerned glance. It didn't look as though anything would convince Noname to stay. _If only we knew what it was that he's hiding, what he's so afraid of…_Bright Heart wondered as he stabbed his breakfast with his fork.

The relative quiet of breakfast was shattered by the piercing alarm of the Caring Meter. The Hall of Hearts emptied within moments as everyone rushed outside. Noname, at a lack for anything else to do, followed them.

"Bright Heart, what's going on?" Tenderheart called to him, who had just come back from looking over the Caring Meter.

"I'm not sure. I don't think there's a drop in caring on Earth. I think it means that something is coming—" Before he could say the word "here," there was a sudden gust of wind that swallowed his words. It soon coalesced into a cyclone that then died down to reveal a familiar figure.

"NO HEART!" The Care Bear Family shouted as one. Their vulpine visitor blanched and surreptitiously took a few steps backwards.

"What do you want No Heart?" Noble Heart demanded as the family formed a line, ready to Stare the evil wizard back to his castle if the need arose. But No Heart made no move, provocative or otherwise. He just scanned the crowd, looking for something. Or someone. He must have found what he was looking for, because he raised his arms in what was supposed to be a somewhat peaceful gesture and magically amplified his voice for all to hear.

"CARE BEARS! You have something that belongs to me. I want it back. Give it to me and I will leave...peacefully."

"What are you talking about No Heart?" Noble Heart demanded.

"The fox. I want him. He belongs to me." Noname swallowed as he felt all the

attention suddenly shift onto him. He wished that he had never gotten out of bed, or better yet, never left the attic.

"Why?" Noble Heart said, thrown for a minute. "He doesn't belong to you. His decisions are his own." No Heart laughed.

"The fox is _mine_. In mind, body, and soul. You have no more business having him here than you would my niece or Beastly."

"What's this all about No Heart?" Noble Heart asked shortly. "I would no sooner turn over our _guest_," he stressed the word for No Heart's benefit "then I would True Heart or anyone in my family. Why this obsession with him?"

"I think it is natural," No Heart purred, "for me to 'obsessed' with that which is rightfully mine. My property, if you will."

"He is _not_ your property!" Noble Heart insisted angrily.

"Oh but he is!" No Heart exclaimed. "He is in every way my property! I am his Master! I am his _CREATOR_!"

CHAPTER SIX

Utter silence. It was so silent that the beating of his own heart felt deafening in his ears. Noname felt the gaze of the entire Care Bear family on him as well as that of his old tormentor. His hunter. His…master.

_No, I call no one master. Not anymore._ Whatever spark of defiance he had lit within himself promptly withered and died when he saw the looks on his hosts' faces. It was exactly what he expected to see: horror, fear, and disgust. He knew. He'd seen the same expression on his own face whenever he looked in a mirror. He had stopped looking into mirrors long ago. For the Care Bears, this was a new sight.

As he let his head hang in defeat, No Heart laughed. "You see, he admits it! He belongs with me and mine. And _this_ time," No Heart glared at the sullen fox. "I'll be more careful than to let my pets slip their leash!"

"Leave him alone!" Someone yelled from the crowd. All eyes turned to see who had shouted. It was to everyone's surprise, including her own, to discover that it was the meekest and quietest of call the Care Bears who directly defied the evil magician: Gentle Heart Lamb.

"He isn't like you! He's not evil!" She yelled, something she almost never did. "He doesn't belong with you! Not now, not ever!" A chorus of general approval bubbled across the crowd, which only infuriated No Heart.

"I will not be denied my prize!" He roared. "I've been searching and hunting him for _far_ too long to tamely yield him now! He is _not_ one of you! He is one _MY_ creations! _MINE_! No different than a Shadow or demon or any other entity I've conjured!"

"He may not be a Care Bear, but he is most certainly not one of yourmonsters either." Bright Heart rejoined. The wizard was now all but frothing with rage.

"STAND ASIDE OR DIE, CARE BEARS! I HAVE NO MORE PATIENCE FOR THIS!"

"For once, No Heart, we're in agreement." Noble Heart said coolly. "Care Bears! Care Cousins! You know what to do!"

"Care Bears! Countdown!" Tenderheart ordered. "Four…three…two…one…"

"STARE!" No Heart cursed as a sea of glowing tummy symbols erupted towards him. He raised his arms and attempted to block them. Whipped into such a frenzy at being denied what he felt was rightfully his, he managed to last longer against the combined Care Bear Stare longer than he ought to have.

But in the end, the result was that he was forced to take a step back. Then another and another. With a frustrated howl he began the spell that would transport him back to his castle.

"THIS IS NOT OVER! I WILL RECLAIM WHAT'S MINE! YOUR DAYS ARE MARKED SLAVE! YOU HEAR ME!" With a final gust of wind the sorcerer was gone. As many family members broke into cheering at their foe's retreat, Bright Heart turned around to where Noname had been standing. He was gone.

CHAPTER SEVEN

For the second time in as many days, Noname found himself barreling blindly through the Kingdom of Caring. He knew it was foolish. There was no way down and even if there was, he had no idea where he was going. But right then, he didn't care.

_They_ _know. Blast it all, they KNOW_.

He suddenly found his vision blurred by moisture in his eyes. _Is it raining?_ No, a quick glance told him it wasn't. _Could I actually be…_

Noname was forced to end his self-analysis when his front foot failed to connect to the clouds that formed the grown. Cursing, he found that he had run to the very edge of the clouds. He flailed his arms wildly as he attempted not to pitch forward and fall who knew how far down. Thinking he was about to fall he managed to compose what he fully expected to be his final thought:

_What a stupid way to die._

A sudden yank on his tail caused him to fall backwards. Falling seldom had much dignity, especially when it was your rump you were falling on. But given the alternatives it was better an undignified landing than a fatal one. Getting up he turned around to see who had rescued him. He should not have been surprised that it was Bright Heart and Gentle Heart, and yet found that he was.

He nodded in thanks but avoided their gaze.

"Is it true?" Bright Heart asked at last. He didn't believe No Heart was lying this time, but wanted to hear it from Noname's own lips.

"…Yes. It's true."

"So you're one of No Heart's…" he trailed off.

"The word you're looking for," Noname said icily. "Is monster. Or freak, I'll answer to either."

"You're not a monster." Gentle Heart said softly. "Please, let us help. Is that what you didn't want to tell us?" Noname nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"What's to talk about?" He asked bitterly. "No Heart _made_ me in a vat. Just another creature to command for his own twisted ends."

"What did he want you for?" Bright Heart asked. Noname shrugged.

"I was…a prototype. No Heart was trying to create a sort of anti-Care Bear Family. No Heart's not all that original you know. If you can't beat 'em, clone 'em. I swear all these villains plagiarize each other's hackneyed schemes…Anyway, I was the first; also the last. As you can see," He said rubbing his heart shaped nose for emphasis "It didn't work."

"So I basically became his gopher. Fetch his books, his potion ingredients, clean the castle, what have you."

"Like Beastly?" Bright Heart asked. Noname looked confused.

"Who?"

"No Heart's henchman. A small dirty creature, pig-like nose, spindly limbs, fat body…"

"Oh is _that_ what I ran into yesterday? Never seen him before. At any rate I decided rather quickly that I didn't want to stay with No Heart. Of course, running away from a flying castle isn't that easy. Whenever I got the chance, I sneaked a look at his spell books to try to find anything that would help me get away.

"Eventually I found a transportation spell. But it wasn't enough that I had to get away. I had to make sure he wouldn't find me. You know he has that cauldron he can look into and find whoever or whatever he wants. I had to find a way to stay off his radar. So then I had to find a spell to do _that_."

"So you escaped?" Gentle Heart asked. Noname nodded.

"No Heart was furious. He kept looking for me, so I decided to stay hidden. The only way he knew I was still alive was…"

"…Was what?" Noname sighed.

"I'm no wizard. Potion brewing isn't my specialty. I messed up and as a result a sort of bond was made. When he used his more powerful magic I could—I don't know how to describe it—_see_ him perform it." He lapsed into an awkward silence. He briefly caught Gentle Heart's eye then abruptly broke away.

"You saw him in my dreams." She said. It wasn't a question. Noname nodded.

"I didn't recognize the two of you at first. No Heart would rant about the Care Bears but I never really knew who or what you were."

"But we could've helped you…" Gentle Heart said.

"Helped me? How? Can you change the fact that I was born to be a tool? A weapon to be used against _your_ family? Can you alter the reality that I am a product of an evil warlock? I think not." Pausing for a moment to wipe his eyes, he continued on. "Besides, the same magic that left No Heart blinded to my location probably also worked on your Caring Meter."

"We would've accepted you." Bright Heart spoke up. "We still would in fact. It's not like this is the first time a new Care Bear's joined the family…"

"I'm _not_ a Care Bear!" Noname exclaimed, not for the first time. "Don't you see that? I'm not another animal modified by the Great Wishing Star to help people share their feelings. I was made in a cauldron by a wizard bent on your destruction! I'm not even sure if I'm a real fox! By sheltering me here all you've done is given him an added incentive to attack you. It's best—for everyone—if I go back into hiding. That way he'll be too focused on me to go after you. I'm very good at hiding you know…He's been searching for years and he's never even come close to finding me." He gave a half-smile, the only kind he was ever able to manage. "A creature of darkness doesn't belong in the light."

"You're no creature of darkness." A new voice broke in from behind them. The three of them turned to see Noble Heart and True Heart standing there. Noble Heart continued. "No creature of darkness would ever suggest risking himself for someone else. That as much as anything proves why you deserve to stay here, with us."

True Heart asked. "We can help you. We _want_ to help you. And I think you'd find that living here is better than hiding in an attic, wondering if today's the day No Heart catches up with you." Noname stayed silent thinking it over. "Please, think it over. We'll leave alone for now. When you've made a decision, let us know." At that the four Care Bears departed, leaving a very thoughtful fox behind.

A/N: I know I said to be concluded last time, but I decided to break the last bit up into two parts, the second one will be posted shortly. To Be Really Concluded Next Time.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER EIGHT

Noname paced back forth, though he had taken the precaution of moving away from the cloud's edge. He kept his eyes on the ground as he walked. The sight of the puffy clouds beneath his paws prompted an amused chuckle.

_The one place in the world where you have to look _down_ in order to go cloud gazing._ _This place certainly is interesting_. He looked around at the heart-shaped leaves on the brightly colored trees. _Can't say much for the décor though. Does the phrase '_toneitdown'_ not exist up here?_

Noname shook his head to clear his mind. He wasn't here to evaluate the real estate. He was here to make the most monument decision in his life. _Me a Care Bear? Sounds unreal, like nominating a used car dealer to be the Dalai Lama._

He continued pacing until his legs started feeling heavy as lead. Then he opted to lie on the ground to continue thinking it over. He felt his eyelids drooping. He yawned and before he knew it, had dozed off.

His eyes snapped back upon almost immediately, but when he looked around he saw that he was no longer in Care-a-Lot. Noname felt like he was trapped in a void. There was nothing, anywhere. He couldn't even see himself as standing on anything.

_An astral plane?_ Noname wondered. He'd read about the theories about them. _But how…No Heart._ He concluded. As if summoned by his thoughts, the wizard materialized in front of the fox. Was he a dream, an image conjured by his subconscious, or the real thing?

"If that _is_ you No Heart, then you're as unoriginal as ever. You already tried this trick before." Noname admonished. No Heart—if that's who it was—laughed derisively.

"You are not position to judge me on originality when you are the living embodiment of unoriginality. You're nothing but an imitation, a cheap knock-off." Noname made a rude gesture, which only caused the wizard to cackle again. "Now that's hardly the proper Care Bear attitude now is it? You really think you can be one of _them_? Hah!"

"And what would you suggest? Going back to being your slave?" Noname asked, matching No Heart sneer for sneer.

"You have more in common with me than you ever will with them. We are both creatures of darkness after all." No Heart answered coldly. "I was intruged to learn that you had given yourself a name, something I had never gotten around to doing. Noname. Strange is it not, that you would give yourself a name so much like that of the one you profess to despise so…"

Noname growled. "Rest assured this…identity I claimed for myself is for temporary use only."

"All the same, you were created with one purpose in mind and you failed at that the second your creation was completed."

"You're talking to _me_ of failure?" Noname shot back. "You, who failed at _everything_ you've ever attempted? The wizard who can't make a single spell stick? Your only borderline decent creation was me and I didn't do what you wanted me to do either." The fox screeched furiously. "You're pathetic you know that? You ought to change your name from 'No Heart' to No Brain!"

No Heart trembled with rage. "You wretched little cauldron-born abomination! When I'm finished with you your soul with writhe in torment for the rest of eternity!"

"And what you someone like _you_ know about souls?" Noname snapped furiously, too angry to take heed of threats. Then a thought occurred. "Since when do you even _care_ about souls? What did you mean earlier, that I belong to you 'in mind, body, and soul?' Since when do creatures of darkness have souls?"

Noname stared No Heart down: the first time he had ever met his creators' eyes in his life. Noname's eyes were so expressive that even a stranger could look in them and know his thoughts and ways with stunning simplicity. Noname usually found this a nuisance, since it made his inner thoughts all too accessible to anyone who looked into his eyes. It all but made any sort of mental privacy impossible. But like most things this worked both ways. Noname saw No Hearts' eyes and everything within them.

"You're afraid." He breathed in amazement. "You've never had one of your creations acquire a soul, have you? You're wondering how it happened and if it'll happen again. I should've guessed. Your only real accomplishment and you've done no idea how you did it, a complete accident…"

"Shut up!" No Heart demanded.

"I seem to have struck a nerve. So I'm right…I _do_ have a soul." _That changes everything…_

"You wont when I'm through ripping it from you." No Heart threatened.

"What's the matter No Brain? Are you interested in souls because you're looking for answers? Or are you trying to find something you lost…"

"_SHUT UP!_" He bellowed as he rushed towards Noname, hands outstretched. Clasping his hands around Noname's throat, he brought him to face level, leaving the fox's legs dangling in midair. "Finally quiet are you!" He demanded angrily. Noname tried to answer but could only gasp hoarsely. Noname chuckled. "Ah, just like old times…You know, I must admit that I rather like your rasp. Very unCare Bear-like."

Growling angrily, Noname did the only thing that occurred to him. He opened his jaws and bit Noname's hand. Howling in pain, No Heart tossed him angrily to the ground.

Panting heavily, Noname got to his feet. "…I guess…having a soul….makes me…more like the Care Bears….then you…after all." With a final roar of anger No Heart raised his arms and prepared to cast his trademark lightning spell. Noname stood his ground.

_So this is where I belong…_He thought to himself as he prepare to meet his own end. Then, as suddenly as he arrived there, Noname was gone. He awoke with a start, sitting up quickly from the cloud he had fallen asleep on. Whipping his head from side to side for any sign of No Heart, he breathed a quick sigh of relief when he found none.

"Was that astral experience or a dream?" He asked himself. Noname wasn't sure. Looking up at the sky he was surprised to see that the sun was already setting and the shadows had grown long a good time ago. Setting off for the Hall of Hearts, Noname had come a decision and hoped that he could still run into Bright Heart, Gentle Heart or the founders. At the very least he hoped to grab a bite to eat and drink. Anything to get the awful taste he just acquitted out of his mouth.

CHAPTER NINE

Gentle Heart was getting concerned. _Shouldn't Noname have been back by now?_ _We left him there hours ago…_She started when she felt someone put their paw on her shoulder. Gentle Heart whirled around. It was only Bright Heart, a concerned smile on his face, nodding knowingly. He knew what she was thinking and she was fairly certain he was thinking along the same lines himself.

Noble Heart and True Heart were waiting with them. Most of the others had already eaten and drifted home to relax. A few remained, including Tenderheart who continually looked over at Bright Heart and Gentle Heart, concern etched on his face. He didn't want to think about how'd they feel if the fox they discovered and brought back with them didn't return. _They'd be devastated_.

"Do you really think he'll come back?" He asked Noble Heart and True Heart. Noble Heart didn't say anything. True Heart spread her paws helplessly.

"I hope so." She said quietly, but apparently not quietly enough.

"I think he will." Bright Heart said confidently. Gentle Heart nodded in clear agreement.

"I hope you're right Bright Heart." Tenderheart sighed. Grumpy folded his arms across his chest and snorted.

"From what I saw of him, he didn't seem very sociable. Or friendly." Swift Heart snickered and tried to cover it up with a coughing fit as Grumpy shot her a glance.

Bright Heart did his best not to notice. "He's just had a hard life. Give him time and I'm sure he'll come around."

"I agree with Bright Heart," Gentle Heart bleated. "I think he'd make a great Care Bear."

"That's his decision to make." Noble Heart reminded them. "We'll just have to wait and—" Their attention was suddenly riveted on the doors, which had just been pulled open with a loud squeaking (Noble Heart mentally reminded himself to ask Grumpy to oil them) as Noname entered.

Gentle Heart sighed in relief. _At least he's okay_. No one said anything as he closed the doors behind him. He strode up to where they were standing and stood still, his eyes on the ground.

"You've been gone a long time." Bright Heart ventured at last. Noname looked up.

"I've been doing some…soul searching."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Gentle Heart asked. Noname shot her a half smile.

"You could say that." Noble Heart approached the fox and took a deep breath.

"Have you come to a decision?"

"Yes."

"…And?" They seemed to be having a contest to see who could keep their answer the shortest. Noname paused and almost imperceptibly nodded.

"I…I want to stay. Be a part of your family. If you'll have me." Noble Heart gave his shoulder a brief squeeze. He—correctly—didn't think he was the hugging type.

"We'd be glad to have you. But there is one thing left to take care of. Tenderheart?" Tenderheart nodded. Noble Heart turned back to Noname. "Tenderheart is going to give you a tummy symbol like the rest of us. But we also need to think of a name for you. Somehow I don't think that 'Noname' is something you want to stick with."

"No argument." He agreed quickly. "But I can't think of anything else." He looked Noble Heart in the eyes. "Any ideas?"

"Hmmmm…I just might. Tell me, have you ever heard of the expression that the eyes are the 'windows of the soul?' " The fox nodded.

"I have."

"Well given that, and from what True Heart and I heard you telling Bright Heart and Gentle Heart…" He began as Tenderheart's tummy symbol began glowing, "I can't think of a more fitting name than…" Tenderheart's Stare connected with Noname's belly leaving a new tummy symbol behind: A black Egyptian eye in a red heart.

"Soulful Heart Fox!" The newly christened Soulful Heart gently touched his tummy symbol as if afraid that it would vanish if he touched it too hard.

"You know…" He said in a breathless rasp. "I rather like that." Gentle Heart smiled happily.

"I knew you'd stay, I just _knew_ it!" Bright Heart grinned too and reached out a paw. Soulful accepted it gladly.

"Welcome to the family Soulful Heart."

THE END


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